Nonwoven fabrics composed of nylon fibers may be used for manufacturing such products as hospital gowns, wiping cloths, and home furnishings such as sheets, table cloths, carpets, and rugs. However, in some environments where there are seasonal changes in the humidity and temperature, these fabrics are liable to become distorted due to shrinkage and expansion of the fabric. In the case of rugs or carpets that are loosely laid and then held to the floor at spaced locations by heavy furniture or the like, seasonal weather changes may produce such distortions that result in buckling of the carpet surface between stationary portions of the carpet. This carpet buckling is unsightly and presents a tripping hazard. In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a nylon nonwoven fabric which would demonstrate good strength and moisture stability under common environmental conditions.
The present invention provides a composite fabric comprising two layers of a nylon nonwoven fabric and a reinforcing layer of fiberglass scrim. This composite fabric is lightweight, strong, and flexible, and demonstrates good moisture stability.
In one application, the composite fabric of this invention may be used as a moisture-stable carpet backing for a carpet made from nylon tufts bonded to a reinforced nylon strand. Such a carpet is described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/017,162, filed Feb. 22, 1993, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. A carpet having a backing composed of the composite fabric of this invention would offer other advantages in addition to being moisture-stable. For instance, such a carpet could easily be recycled, since it would consist only of nylon and nylon-melt compatible components. In conventional carpets, many different components, such as nylon, latex and polypropylene, must first be separated with great difficulty before the nylon carpet tufts can be depolymerized.